Sen. Feinstein’s Replacement Adds Another Member To Black Caucus

By Lauren Victoria Burke

Newswire Contributor

NNPA

Laphonza Butler will fill the U.S. Senate seat of the late Dianne Feinstein. The groundbreaking Senator died on September 29. With the selection of Butler, the decision of California’s Governor will not include any of the currently announced candidates for U.S. Senate in 2024 in California. Those current candidates include veteran members of Congress Barbara Lee and Adam Schiff.

“Laphonza will carry the baton left by Senator Feinstein, continue to break glass ceilings, and fight for all Californians in Washington, D.C.,” wrote Gov. Newsom in a statement released on the evening of October 1 announcing Butler’s appointment.

Butler has been serving as the President of EMILY’s List. The fundraising platform supports and funds women candidates and amplifies issues that disproportionately impact women. From 1985 through 2008, EMILY’s List raised over $240 million for political candidates.

Laphonza Butler will be yet another addition to the Congressional Black Caucus which is now on the brink of having 60 members for the first time in history. Though the current membership of the Congressional Black Caucus is 58, one more Black member is all but certain to enter Congress in Rhode Island after the resignation in May of Congressman David Cicilline. Former Biden White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs Deputy Director Gabe Amo won the Democratic nomination for Cicilline’s seat. The election is on November 7.

“Throughout her career, Laphonza Butler has been a strong voice for working families, LGBTQ rights, and a champion for increasing women’s representation in politics,” said Gov. Newson. Lauren Victoria Burke is an independent investigative journalist and the publisher of Black Virginia News. She can be contacted at LBurke007@ gmail.com and on twitter at @LVBurke

Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, a stalwart advocate for gun control measures and a figure known for seeking bipartisan cooperation during her extensive tenure in the Senate, has died at 90. Feinstein, renowned as the Senate’s elder stateswoman, the lengthiest-serving female senator, and the lengthiestserving Californian senator, announced her decision to retire in February, sparking both accolades and concerns about her health. Following her retirement announcement, President Joe Biden commended his former Senate colleague, praising her as a “passionate defender of civil liberties and a strong voice for national security policies that keep us safe while honoring our values.”

In late February, when Feinstein was absent from crucial votes, her spokesperson disclosed that she was tending to a health matter in California and expressed hopes for her swift return to Washington.

The California Democrat has supported gun control initiatives throughout her career, most notably by spearheading the 1994 campaign for the assault weapons ban, which President Bill Clinton signed into law. She continued to